Rep. Clay warns against ‘sinister tricks’ against a good census

“We need to know what’s happening in your communities and how we can help you. We will also depend on you to expose any attempts to misinform or deceive the public by those who are attempting to suppress the count. … We have heard time and time again about sinister tricks to dissuade immigrants from completing their census forms. As trusted voices, you can speak, and people will listen to you. Let your communities know that the census is confidential and they need not fear their government. That the information they provide to the Census Bureau is protected by law. And if anyone shares it, the violator is subject to imprisonment.”

Rep. William Clay, D-Mo., chairman of the House subcommittee with oversight of the census, on Wednesday telling leaders of Latino advocacy groups and Spanish-language media outlets about the vital role community groups play in getting a good count.

Wednesday marked the one-day kickoff to Census Day 2010. Read more here.